Abstract: Apparatus and methods for aerosol removal from the vicinity of a patient's mouth. An apparatus can include a coupling having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the coupling having a first port configured to couple to a suction tube, the coupling further comprising an interior cavity from the proximal end to the first port, a conduit having an interior cavity coupled to the proximal end of the coupling connecting the interior cavity of the coupling to the interior cavity of the conduit, the conduit extending to form a circumferential boundary around an area that is sized to fit inside a patient's mouth, and openings arranged on a surface of the conduit, the openings allowing substances in the vicinity of the openings to enter the conduit, and the openings, the conduit, and the coupling forming a passageway through which substances are evacuated from the patient's mouth.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a dental procedure safety device including a face mask and a face shield attached to each other to form a modified face mask shield device, where the face shield overlaps in front of the face mask. The device further includes a dental dam frame including a plurality of nibs projecting outwardly from an outer perimeter of the dental dam frame for attachment of a dental dam membrane, such that a portion of the dental dam membrane is attached over an upper horizontal member of the dental dam frame. An attachment device, positioned over the portion of the dental dam membrane attached over the upper horizontal member, detachably connects to a rear surface of a lower end of the face mask, such that the modified face mask shield device is positioned in front of the attachment device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a dental procedure safety device including a face mask and a face shield attached to each other to form a modified face mask shield device, where the face shield overlaps in front of the face mask. The device further includes a dental dam frame including a plurality of nibs projecting outwardly from an outer perimeter of the dental dam frame for attachment of a dental dam membrane, such that a portion of the dental dam membrane is attached over an upper horizontal member of the dental dam frame. An attachment device, positioned over the portion of the dental dam membrane attached over the upper horizontal member, detachably connects to a rear surface of a lower end of the face mask, such that the modified face mask shield device is positioned in front of the attachment device.

Abstract: A disposable, self-inflatable, matrix (tooth dam) used to form a temporary, removeable side wall for the placement of a tooth filling material. It has an array of three concavities (distal, central and proximal) formed in a polymer wrap that has a planar substrate sheet affixed across the front face of the wrap. The distal air chamber has a volume that equals or exceeds the combined volume of the central and proximal air chambers. Directly below the distal concavity on the inner face of the planar substrate is an adhesive region. When the distal air chamber is depressed, the air within inflates the other air chambers and it is retained in its compressed state by the adhesive region. The remaining air chambers press against one tooth and exert enough force to elastically secure the planar panel around the adjacent tooth. It prevents the tooth filling material from leaving the prepared tooth and entering the space between.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a dental procedure safety device including a face mask and a face shield attached to each other to form a modified face mask shield device, where the face shield overlaps in front of the face mask. The device further includes a dental dam frame including a plurality of nibs projecting outwardly from an outer perimeter of the dental dam frame for attachment of a dental dam membrane, such that a portion of the dental dam membrane is attached over an upper horizontal member of the dental dam frame. An attachment device, positioned over the portion of the dental dam membrane attached over the upper horizontal member, detachably connects to a rear surface of a lower end of the face mask, such that the modified face mask shield device is positioned in front of the attachment device.

Abstract: A disposable, inflatable, matrix (tooth dam) used to form a temporary, removeable side wall for the placement of a tooth filling material. It establishes the original dental anatomy of the tooth, and maintains the correct contact between adjacent teeth for flossing purposes and gingival health. It accomplishes this by inflating a pair of self-sealing air chambers that extend from the back face of a planar panel that they are formed on, such that these chambers contact and press against the adjacent tooth and exert enough force to elastically secure the planar panel without wedges and clamps. It prevents the tooth filling material from leaving the prepared tooth and entering the space between the teeth to enhance flossing and proper dental hygiene. This device will greatly enhance patient comfort, procedural efficiency and consistency.

Abstract: Non-customized dental treatment trays used to provide a desired treatment are formed from elastomeric silicone or silicone-like material. They may be molded from a two-part liquid silicone composition or a silicone-like TPE material (e.g., preferably SEBS and/or VERSAflex™ thermoplastic elastomer). The dental treatment trays possess high adaptability, flexibility, softness, and elastic elongation while also exhibiting resiliency in order to readily conform to the ridges, depressions and contours of a person's teeth during use. The trays possess a greater ability to adhere to a person's teeth compared to non-elastomeric thermoplastic materials. Due to their high adaptability and conformability, the non-customized dental trays behave like a semi-custom dental tray when placed over conformed to a person's teeth, particularly when used in combination with a sticky, viscous treatment composition.

Abstract: A device for helping maintain a mouth of a patient in an open position during a dental procedure may include a tooth engaging portion including at least one groove for accepting at least one lower tooth of the patient's lower jaw, an extension portion that extends away from the tooth engaging portion, and a handle that extends down from the extension portion and ends in a caudal end. The caudal end of the handle and the groove of the tooth engaging portion lie along a longitudinal axis drawn through a center of the groove.

Abstract: A multi-purpose dental bib, to be worn by a patient during a dental procedure, may incorporate gauze pads into windows and/or pockets integral to the bib. The multi-purpose dental bib may be employed to protect the patient's clothing from liquid and/or solid debris generated during a dental procedure, and to wipe the patient's face and mouth during or at the completion of a dental procedure. The multi-purpose dental bib may additionally be employed to clean dental tools, such as a dental mirror, during a dental procedure by means of the gauze pads incorporated into the windows and/or pockets strategically located on the multi-purpose dental bib.

Abstract: The present dental handpiece has a burr sleeve, a head section, an air supply passage for introducing compressed air into the head section for driving the burr sleeve, and an air discharge passage for discharging the compressed air. The air supply passage includes a through hole axially extending through the rear terminal part of the handpiece, and a tubular pressure regulating member and an air supply tube connected in series between the through hole and the head section. The pressure regulating member has an aperture for allowing communication with the air discharge passage, and an annular valve body arranged axially slidably for opening/closing the aperture. When the pressure of compressed air passing through the air supply passage exceeds a predetermined level, the valve body is slid to open the aperture to discharge the compressed air for regulating the pressure of the compressed air to be supplied to the burr sleeve.

Abstract: A dental towel has at least four edges, a straight tear line and a surrounding band. One of the edges is oriented edge that is oriented forward a patient. The straight tear line is parallels the oriented edge, is near the oriented edge and has two ends and a length shorter than a length of the oriented edge. One of the ends is formed on an adjacent edge that is adjacent to the oriented edge. The surrounding band is mounted between the straight tear line and the oriented edge, surrounds conveniently a patient's neck and has an adhesive member sticking on the dental towel. The dental towel can be torn to obtain the surrounding band with a desired length to fit patient's neck. Thus, the dental towel can be positioned in front of patient's chest to prevent water or other agents from spraying to contaminate patient's clothes and neck.

Abstract: A system and method for tooth bleaching are disclosed wherein a patient's mouth is prepped for tooth bleaching treatment, a light activated tooth bleaching composition is applied on a tooth surface to be bleached, a lamp assembly is placed in position to activate the oxidizing compound in the bleaching composition, and one or more spacer is coupled to the patient and to the lamp assembly to set a distance between the two.

Abstract: A tooth whitening product is provided. The tooth whitening product includes a strip of material sized to cover the front surface of one or more teeth and soft tissue adjacent the front surface of the teeth. A thin layer of a tooth whitening composition is disposed on the strip of material. The whitening composition contains a peroxide active with a concentration greater than about 7.5% by weight of the tooth whitening composition, and the tooth whitening composition has a peroxide density less than about 1.3 mg/cm2.

Abstract: A dental bleach using a bleaching agent and a polyvinylpyrrolidone thickening agent is disclosed. The bleach may include water, flavoring agents, a basic substance and desensitizing agents, as desired. Polyvinylpyrrolidone avoids acid etching and chelation of teeth that were problematic in bleaches using carbomer as a thickener.

Abstract: Apparatus, kits and methods for providing accelerated treatment of a patient's teeth. The apparatus, kits and methods involve the use of a dental impression tray that includes a patient dentition impression formed from a dental impression material such as an alginate. The impression tray advantageously includes heating means for heating and maintaining the formed patient dentition impression at a temperature greater than about 105° F. The heated dental trays may be used to accelerate the activity of dental bleaching agents (e.g., peroxides), desensitizing agents (e.g., potassium nitrate), remineralizing agents (e.g., fluoride salts), and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a protective, disposable dental patient face mask that covers the patient's entire face, extending partially around the patient's head and secured by a pair of ear bands. A mouth aperture allows access to the patient's mouth and a nose mask that allows the patient to breathe freely while the air is filtered of impurities and flying debris. The face mask is constructed of a material that protects the patient's face from projected liquid and solid materials.

Abstract: A dental bib to be adhesively attached to a patient having desirable nominally-sized areas of adhesive deposits which nevertheless adhere as firmly as currently used large-sized deposits as a result of using recesses in an embossed pattern on the dental bib for making available increased amounts of adhesive, wherein the area over which the adhesive is spread and now also the depth of the adhesive contributes to achieving the attachment function.

Abstract: A dental bib adhesively secured to a patient in the use of which the adhesive is uncovered incident to use by being unfolded from the bib so that after its use the folding back covers the adhesive so that during disposal there is no inadvertent attachment to a trash container wall, or to trash therein, or like interferences with proper disposal.

Abstract: A dental isolation dam has a plurality of elastic fibers arranged in a rectangular, crisscrossed pattern between impervious films. The fibers enable the dam to be easily placed, and, once released, clinch around necks of isolated teeth to provide enhanced moisture and infection control.

Abstract: A dental covering of such a size as to drape over a patient's upper torso and head to protect the patient from airborne moisture and contaminants caused by dental work on the patient, the dental covering being substantially rectangular in overall shape and at least several feet in length and width so as to overlie a patient's upper torso and head during dental work. The dental covering has upper and lower fabric sections adapted to respectively overlie the head and torso of the patient and an intermediate fabric section bridging and joining the upper and lower fabric sections and adapted to extend across a patient's eyes. Each of the fabric sections is substantially parallel to each other and has a common lengthwise extent adapted to extend transversely across the patient.

Abstract: An emesis head appliance is made of clear flexible plastic or disposable material. The appliance includes a two-piece basin sized and configured to receive discharge from a patient and to fit snugly under the chin with side panels reaching upward to the temple area. A drainage tube of sufficient length is attached to the lower end of the basin to act as an outlet for disposing of the discharge waste. A slide clamp is attachable to the tube and closes the tube to prevent leakage until it is desired to discharge the waste material in the basin.

Abstract: A trauma dressing suitable for intraoral use, comprising an absorbent dressing to which is attached a retrieval strand, with the retrieval strand being sufficiently rigid to prevent collapse into the oral cavity of a patient, and the retrieval strand having a first end attached to the dressing and a second end which is sufficiently large so as to prevent entry into the oral cavity of the patient. Preferably, the retrieval strand is made of a plastic material and has a substantially T-shaped end attached to the dressing and a substantially ring-shaped end to prevent entry into the oral cavity of a patient. The free end of the retrieval strand may be attached outside the oral cavity to an attachment member such as an extrication collar.

Abstract: An improvement in an unitary preassembled intraoral dam for all dental procedures which comprises an extrudable thermoplastic polyurethane which is the reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate, a high molecular weight polyether diol, and a low molecular weight aliphatic diol. The improved polyurethane intraoral dam is impermeable to particles of 10 micrometers or greater, with a high degree of puncture and tear resistance, hemocompatibility, hydrolytic stability, non-cytotoxicity, thus guaranteeing the maintenance of a sterile operative field, and a high degree of prevention of contamination and infection for either patient or practitioner.

Abstract: The dental dam has a thin elastomeric web portion which overlies a portion of the patient's face and which may be punctured to allow one or more teeth to protrude through the web. The dam also includes a plastic frame which is integral with the web at the periphery of the web. The frame can be bent to conform to the shape of the patient's face and will retain its bent configuration during subsequent use of the dam. After the dental procedure involving the dam is completed, the dam, web and frame, are discarded.

Abstract: This dental shield is designed to protect a patient against the breathing and facial deposit of the powder/water spray from a teeth clean apparatus. Primarily, it consists of a plastic backed two-ply paper panel, having a cotton mouth guard, a cotton nose guard, and a filter rib for filtering the air breathed by the patient.

Abstract: A face shield for use during operations in the fields of dentistry and dental hygiene having an absorbent exterior surface layer, a barrier surface layer, an aperture through both layers, and a moisture-resistant adhesive attachment mechanism to form a seal against moisture when the shield is applied to the face of a patient and a moisture spray is directed toward the patient as that utilized with various tools used in these fields. The face shield is also pliable and has an aperture to permit a degree of freedom of movement for the patient's mouth when the face shield is disposed in its operative position.

Abstract: An evacuating rubber dam frame for supporting a rubber dam adjacent to the mouth of a dental patient comprises a frame containing a hollow portion, said hollow portion having means for gathering in any fluid collected by said rubber dam, and means for removal of the fluid gathered into said hollow portion.

Abstract: A dental bib adhesively secured to a patient in the use of which the adhesive is uncovered incident to use by being unfolded from the bib so that after its use the folding back covers the adhesive so that during disposal there is no inadvertent attachment to a trash container wall, or to trash therein, or like interferences with proper disposal.

Abstract: A dental bib to be adhesively attached to a patient having desirable nominally-sized areas of adhesive deposits which nevertheless adhere as firmly as currently used large-sized deposits as a result of using recesses in an embossed pattern on the dental bib for making available increased amounts of adhesive, wherein the area over which the adhesive is spread and now also the depth of the adhesive contributes to achieving the attachment function.